News and developments on Freedom of Information in the UK. This blog is run by the Campaign for Freedom of Information. It was established in May 2003 by Steve Wood, who ran it until the end of February 2007 when he took up the post of Assistant Commissioner at the Information Commissioner's Office.

Monday, October 24, 2005

Media update

The Guardian - Bank independence: whose idea was it? "Papers released under the Freedom of Information act reveal that Treasury officials mooted the idea of an inflation target, like the one now pursued by the Bank of England, as early as 1990. The suggestion was eventually adopted two years later, when Britain's monetary policy was in ruins after the pound plunged out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism."

Daily Telegraph - Tate paid £700,000 for trustee's work 'after being told he needed the money'"E-mails released to The Sunday Telegraph under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that Chris Ofili's agent, Victoria Miro, went to extraordinary lengths to try to persuade the gallery to buy a piece of work by the celebrated artist, who is also a Tate trustee."

Cambridge Evening News - University slammed over arms investments"UNIVERSITY Colleges are facing criticism for investing money in the arms trade after a pressure group "named and shamed" the worst offending universities. The Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain information about higher education institutions with shareholdings in weapons manufacturers."

BBC news - Unravelling the school tables "But no. It just collects them. So a colleague at BBC Radio 4 used the Freedom of Information Act to get them for every school. We republished our school tables to include them, and they show the hill many schools have to climb as the government moves the benchmark goalposts."

News and Star (Carlise) - Council boss’s 28% pay rise"Figures released by the council under the Freedom of Information Act show that Mr Bruce’s annual salary jumped from £63,699 in 2000-1 to £81,592 in the current financial year."

Wood and Vale - Parking fine protester wins fight for freedom"A MAN who had to resort to using the Freedom of Information Act to fight a parking fine has won his case against Camden Council."

FT.com - Openness grows over animal research"Universities are becoming more open about their animal research programmes, a Financial Times survey shows. Reassured by more robust support from the government and police, institutions are abandoning a long-standing practice of collective silence in the face of animal rights extremism."

Sunday Times - Knife crime figures soar in counties"The steepest rises have been recorded by county forces outside the biggest cities. The figures, released under the Freedom of Information act and covering 2002-04, show a total of nearly 25,000 knife crimes last year logged by the 30 police forces that supplied the figures."

Sunday Times - The gym, James! Cherie gets chauffeured armoured car"CHERIE BLAIR has become the first prime minister’s spouse to be given an official government car and driver for her personal use, including shopping trips and visits to the gym. "

Norwich Evening News - Join the council - and see the world!"A Freedom of Information (FOI) request by the Evening News has revealed councillors and officers have been going as far afield as Australia and Singapore on council business."

Croydon Guardian -Pressure back on Marlow Hill road safety chiefs to reveal all"PRESSURE is mounting on road safety bosses to reveal how much money is being made from a controversial mobile speed camera site in Marlow Hill, High Wycombe. Scores of motorists have written to the Free Press, Midweek's sister paper, backing our request under the Freedom of Information Act to have figures released on the amount of fines issued and cash collected by The Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership (TVSRP). The Bring Us Up To Speed campaign has now been step-ped up a gear, with our complaint now in the hands of the Information Commissioner the overseer of the Freedom of Information Act."

North Tyneside Today - Landfill protest slams contract"A TWENTY year contract to handle North Tyneside's waste is not enforceable, full of holes, and needs to be scrapped, campaigners claim.Under the Freedom of Information Act the ‘No to Landfill’ campaign group has obtained a copy of a 1997 deal between North Tyneside Council and waste management company Sita."

A logical voice - Aussie guidelines on how to destroy information "Guidelines issued by the Australian government's Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet advise public servants on how to avoid personal notebook comments being disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act. "As some comments included in notebooks may have the potential to cause embarrassment or could be misinterpreted if taken out of context, you should transcribe the information that needs to be recorded into a file note, record of conversation or minute, and ensure it is placed on the appropriate departmental file. You can then destroy the original notes," the guideline says."

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